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Paradise Retreats

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Overview

Property Details

Updated: Mar 3, 2015

5 bedrooms, 3.5 baths, sleeps 9-10

Turn back the clock to a more graceful time and experience the Old World charm of the Gilbert House. This turn of the century Craftsman home is located on a prominent corner within walking distance to the Santa Barbara Mission and Rose Gardens. The surrounding neighborhood is dotted with other landmark estates, bungalows, and classic architecture, all set against the lush mature landscape in the historic Bungalow District.

Gilbert House was built in 1902 by Edward A. Gilbert, then President of Home Telephone and Telegraph Company. The home's interior carries with it a strong Victorian tradition throughout. As a featured property on the 2011 Pearl Chase Historic Homes Tour, Gilbert House is a monument to a bygone era.

The architecture boasts of grand tradition and the interiors are warm and comfortable. Luxury appointments such as fine linens, flat screen televisions, and modern appliances have brought the home into the 21st Century without sacrificing the authentic feel of this classic treasure.

A traditional Parlor greets guests in the grand entry, and sets the tone for a step back in time. A pass through to the Living Room reveals period furnishings such as Velvet settees, antique tables and chairs, and vintage lighting.

The Sunroom is perfect for afternoon tea with large picture windows overlooking the back yard. It is here that a framed black and white photo of the Gilberts presides over this, their favorite room in the home.

The Formal Dining Room is grand and welcoming. Large glass sliding doors lead to a covered loggia with white wicker love seats, creating a lovely garden backdrop to the stately feel of the room. In the well appointed Butler's Pantry, guests will choose from a variety of serving pieces and fine china to set a memorable holiday table, or an every day banquet.

The country style Kitchen with butcher block island and a Wolf range will surely be a favorite gathering place. Great meals begin here as the cupboards are stocked with everything needed to create a culinary feast. Reach for the cookbook shelf above the built-in desk and pull out "Good Food, Good Cooks", as Edith Gilbert's dessert recipe for Charlotte Russe is found on page 159! The convenient back stairwell leads to the second floor.

The Family Room is bright and warmed by a wood stove. Situated in the bay window overlooking the front yard, a banquette style table for 4 is a perfect place to read the morning news and enjoy a rich cup of coffee. Doors lead to two separate patios overlooking the backyard with more seating, barbecue, and a Koi filled fountain.

Ascend the grand staircase to the second floor where 3 of the 5 guest Bedrooms are located. The Master Bedroom is romantic and peaceful, and with the addition of a private massage room complete with folding massage table, serenity awaits.

Though the design is decidedly Victorian, the Master Bathroom has a modern luxurious feel. The Marble shower with multiple sprayers is perfect for post massage relaxation. Pass through the Bathroom to an additional sitting room with flat screen TV and wet bar. You are truly on vacation here!

The North Guest Room is spacious and appointed with a king-size bed and sitting area. The South Guest Room is charming with queen-size bed and built-in desk. A Jack and Jill bathroom separates these two lovely spaces.

Completing the second floor is the Laundry Room that doubles as an exercise room. With elliptical, rowing machine and small weights, this room with large picture windows will help motivate guests to get a workout in while enjoying the serene view overlooking the trees.

On the third floor, 2 additional Guest Rooms complete the accommodations. The larger of the two rooms offers a king size bed, two built-in desks and is spacious and welcoming. The fifth bedroom overlooks the backyard, and is equipped with a cozy day bed. A convenient hall Bathroom services both these rooms and offers claw foot bathtub and shower.

The grounds and gardens are blooming with roses, herbs and local vegetation. Shaded by trees, the Gazebo with porch swing offers a cool place to relax and slow the pace of the day. If a brisk walk is in order, simply step off the property in any direction to explore all this beloved neighborhood has to offer.

Step through the doors to quieter, simpler time and experience a bit of history in sunny Santa Barbara. Gilbert House promises to provide a taste of the past to create a memorable family vacation.

Policies

Prices in US Dollars

Summer Season rates are in effect for Thanksgiving Week & Christmas Weeks

About the Manager

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Guestbook comments from the manager

(Transcribed from guestbook at the property)

Lovely grounds complementing a stately home. Bird house, bird bath, flowering plants are a pleasant surprise. It was delightful to watch Downton Abbey in this setting. Many areas of the home that filled you with wonder and mystery. It's a lovely grand dame! A grand house with lots of character. A new wonder at every turn! Fun time with the girls. Loved exploring all the nooks and crannies. A beautiful home and lovely grounds. Enjoyed our 5-friends girls get-away. Plenty of room to spare. What a wonderful get-away...what a wonderful house! Great location and gardens were so tranquil. We loved it. Thank you so much.

Once lovely home now so shabby -- grimy, dark, cold and in substantial disrepair

1 of 5

It actually was that "dark and stormy" night when we arrived. There were absolutely no lights on, and the downstairs heater was broken. The house was very cold. There is no central heat for the upper floors, just space heaters that make a racket. There are places where the ceiling has taken water damage that are not repaired, the wallpaper in the back hall is grimy and peeling off the walls. One doesn't want to touch the light switches because they are so grimy. None of the phone handsets were operable; none of the emergency flashlights worked. Many of the lighting fixtures didn't work: some had burned out light bulbs; others didn't work even with new light bulbs. There is not enough light in any room to read after dark. I had to wash all the flat wear, dishes, pans and glasses before we could use them because so many of the them had been left dirty. (Washing the dishes is supposed to be the guests' responsibility, but one would think the property manager would check and clean if necessary.) The washing machine does not complete the wash cycle unless one progresses the dial by hand between wash and rinse. The "luxurious linens" have a substantial number of stains on them, looks like ink on the Master Bedroom coverlet, and I don't want to speculate about other stains on the sheets and towels.

The washer and dryer are both plugged into a non grounded, light duty extension cord which is plugged into a non grounded, old electrical plug. When the washer and dryer come on the lights dim in the bedroom.

And what the photos don't show you is the clutter everywhere! Rooster figures, cats, dogs, actual bird nests (in the house), bird houses and frogs frogs frogs. I did not see a single frog that was not broken.

The property manager did not return our calls for the first three days. They did fix the downstairs heater and provide quiet space heaters for the upstairs. They did replace some light bulbs. They did not ever get the phones working (where is seemed like fresh rechargeable batteries would do the trick, but they didn't try that), or the emergency flashlights. They did nothing about the safety issues, the shabbiness and caked on dirt of the house and the huge amount of deferred maintenance.

I would not give this property even a single star, but there is no lower rating. Since we left, no one on the property management team has returned our calls/emails requesting a full or partial refunds.